Technical EQA

A 2-year programme has been produced with the aim to develop a robust framework for the system wide governance and oversight of external quality assurance (EQA) to ensure high standards in quality management, embed patient safety into pathology, ensure excellence in pathology output and support safe, high quality patient care across the health service. In addition, the programme aims to produce a sustainable funding mechanism from financial contributions from the relevant EQA scheme providers, based on openness, transparency and fairness.

We will achieve this by concentrating on 4 objectives which comprise the delivery plan.

• Developing and implementing a robust multi-stakeholder governance and assurance framework incorporating new developments in systems governance, pathology service provision and EQA.
• Agreeing and implementing a consistent approach to identifying and responding to poor performance. 
• Developing systems, practices and policies to share learning relating to quality management, continuous quality improvement and assurance of pathology results with service providers, manufacturers, professional societies and oversight bodies. 
• Strengthening collaboration with our external/regulatory partners across health services in the UK. 

EQA Oversight Board

The EQA Oversight Board provides a collective oversight and assurance to the work identified and scrutinised by the EQA Stakeholders Forum and co-ordinates the delivery of the agreed objectives. A major area of work overseen by the EQA Oversight Board is the delivery  plan which defines the workstreams that will operationalise the agreed  objectives. The EQA Oversight Board meets 3–4 times a year.

EQA documents

 

EQA Stakeholders Forum

The EQA Stakeholders Forum is a multi-stakeholder group and provides the scrutiny function to ensure that the work and priorities have users’ interests and perspectives at the centre. It has representation from the following members:

Chair - VACANT
Vice Chair - Professor Peter Johnston
UKNEQAS Representative - Dr Barbara de la Salle
UKNEQAS Representative - Mr Liam Whitby 
UKNEQAS Chemical Pathology Representative - Dr Finlay MacKenzie
ACB Representative - Dr Shonagh Haslam 
GenQA Representative - Dr Ros Hastings
WEQAS Representative - Dr Annette Thomas
UKAS Representative - Mr Martin Stearn
LGCG Representative - Ms Karen Morgan 
QCMD Representative - Ms Elain McCulloch 
NQAAP Chemical Pathology Chair - VACANT
NQAAP Cellular Pathology Chair - Dr Paul Barrett 
NQAAP Genetics Chair - VACANT 
NQAAP Medical Microbiology Chair - Dr Neil Woodford
NQAAP Reproductive Sciences Chair - Dr Dawn Yell 
NQAAP Haematology Chair - Dr Gordon Sinclair 
NQAAP Immunology Chair - VACANT 
DEQAS representative - Mr Jack Whitewood 
EMQN Representative - Mr Simon Patton
HFEA Representative - Sharon Fensome-Rummer 
QPOINT Representative - Katy Heaney